CRIMINAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE

COMMENDING THE MILLION MOM MARCH AND CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE
ACTION ON ITS GUN SAFETY LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

WHEREAS, The U.S. Conference of Mayors has a 30-year history of supporting legislation to reduce gun violence and gun-related criminal activity, as well as strongly supporting enforcement of all existing laws and local efforts to keep guns away from kids, criminals and the mentally ill; and

WHEREAS, the rate of firearm deaths among children 0-14 years old is nearly 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrial countries combined; and

WHEREAS, in 1997, 4,223 children under the age of 19 died of gun-related injuries. This means that every day in America, nearly 12 young people died of gunshot wounds; and

WHEREAS, over the past several years, The U.S. Conference of Mayors has worked through its Gun Violence Task Force to identify a number of key legislative priorities; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Conference of Mayors’ A New Agenda for America’s Cities, developed under the leadership of Conference President Denver Mayor Wellington E. Webb, calls on the next President of the United States to support comprehensive gun safety measures to help keep guns away from kids, the mentally ill, and criminals; and

WHEREAS, on April 20 of last year, two students at Columbine High School near Littleton, Colorado killed 12 students and a teacher and wounded 23 others before turning their guns on themselves; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Conference of Mayors has worked with the nation’s police chiefs and religious leaders towards enactment of needed legislation in the U.S. Congress -- legislation which has been passed by the U.S. Senate but, more than a full year after the Columbine tragedy, is still stalled in a conference committee with the House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS in cities throughout the nation, the gun violence death toll has continued to rise; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Conference of Mayors has released a survey of 100 cities entitled The Death Toll Since Columbine: Victims of Gun Violence in Cities which contains the names of 4,001 victims of gun violence from April 20, 1999 to March 20, 2000; and

WHEREAS, to graphically display the findings of the survey, The U.S. Conference of Mayors has created a "Wall of Gun Deaths" which lists, by date, the name and age of these 4,001 victims of gun violence. The wall is 12.5 feet tall, and 54 feet long; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Conference of Mayors strongly endorsed the Million Mom March for gun safety held on Mother’s Day 2000, and participated in several major press events with its founder Donna Dees-Thomases promoting participation in the march in Washington, DC and in cities across the nation,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of mayors strongly commends the incredible grass-roots work of the Million Mom March and its continued efforts; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls on Congress to take immediate action to pass the broad package of gun safety initiatives supported by the Million Mom March including:

• the licensing and registration of handguns;
• meaningful consumer product safety standards for guns;
• "one handgun per month" purchasing limitations; and
• a requirement that every private sale, including those at gun shows, be subject to a background check.